TAMPA, Fla. — It’s hard to beat a day on the golf course, and kids in Tampa got an opportunity to learn that on Monday. 

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay hosted the Bank of America’s “Golf With Us” clinic, giving over 50 kids the opportunity to learn about the game of golf and get hands-on instruction at Rogers Park Golf Course.

What You Need To Know

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay hosted the Bank of America’s “Golf With Us” clinic

Over 50 kids got to learn the basics of golf with hands-on instruction at Rogers Park Golf Course in Tampa

Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber was on hand to help teach the kids

Kids also learned from local golf pro Gary Koch and got to chip, putt and swing. 
First Tee of Tampa Bay

“It is really our opportunity to introduce people and introduce kids more specifically 6-18 to golf and some who have never played it at all so this is for some of them their first chance to learn it and hopefully fall in love with it because it’s something that you can play for your entire life,” Bank of America Tampa Bay president Michael Esposito said.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber was on hand to help teach the kids. Since he retired, Barber has become a prominent face in golf in the Tampa Bay Area as the general chairman of the Valspar Championship. He said he was thrilled to help out with this mission, which also partners with other golf courses around the country to help kids get tee times for just $5 through the “Youth on Course” memberships.

“There are a lot of challenges with golf one that it’s really hard and also not very accessible but I think one of the bigger challenges is that it costs a lot of money it’s expensive not just to get involved but just get introduced to it so this is a great opportunity to introduce kids to this game,” Barber said.

After 16 seasons playing for the Bucs, Barber said he loves every opportunity to give back to the area that has given so much to him.

“Tampa is home Florida is home now, Mike Tomlin used to tell me all the time to whom a lot is given a lot is expected and so the more opportunities I have to touch this community the better it’s why I stay involved and not disappear into my older age,” Barber said.

“Ronde has really meant so much to this community so to have him here to be able to do this and partner with us it really is something special it maybe brings kids who like football and don’t really know that much about golf and learning it while seeing one of their idols playing it too so they see this is something available to them to play,” Esposito said.

Speaking of football, with the NFL Draft coming up this week he reminisced on his draft 29 years ago.

“It was not this hyped up I don’t know if it was on tv the third round back in 1997 but I remember waiting because obviously I have a twin brother that was also in the draft that year and he got drafted 30 picks ahead of me so the two and a half hours or whatever it was between the 6th pick in the 2nd round and the 6th pick in the 3rd round which I was felt like forever but I was excited too I knew I was going to get drafted I just didn’t know where I was ready for it and glad I ended up here in the long run,” Barber said.

Now, all these years later, he’s giving back to the place that became home.